Behind-the-Back Shrug
How to Do the Behind-the-Back Shrug With Proper Form
Stand tall and hold a barbell behind your thighs with a comfortable overhand grip.
Keep the elbows straight and position the bar so it clears the glutes as much as your anatomy allows.
Brace the torso and keep the head neutral.
Elevate the shoulders straight upward without bending the elbows.
Pause briefly at the top while avoiding circular shoulder rolling.
Lower the shoulders under control through your available range.
Reset the bar position and posture before the next repetition.
Form Check & Technique
DO THIS (Technique Tips)
- Keep the elbows straight
- Shrug vertically
- Use a grip that improves bar clearance
- Keep the torso mostly tall
- Use straps if grip limits trap training
AVOID THIS (Common Mistakes)
- Rolling the shoulders in circles
- Bending the elbows
- Leaning far forward to clear the glutes
- Using leg drive
- Using a load that eliminates useful range
- Letting the bar scrape aggressively against the body
- Claiming the variation uniquely targets middle traps
About Behind-the-Back Shrug
The behind-the-back shrug is a barbell shrug performed with the bar held behind the thighs. The primary action is still scapular elevation by the upper trapezius; changing bar position alters setup and clearance but is not proven to uniquely target the middle or 'rear' traps.
Behind-the-Back Shrug Muscles Worked
The upper trapezius remains the primary scapular elevator, with the levator scapulae and grip assisting.
- There is not strong direct evidence that placing the bar behind the body creates a special middle-trap or rear-trap hypertrophy advantage.
Sets & Reps Guidance
Technique / Learning
2-3 sets of 10-15 lighter reps while learning behind-body bar clearance.
Strength Focus
3-4 sets of 6-10 reps with full controlled scapular elevation.
Muscle Growth (Hypertrophy)
3-4 sets of 8-15 reps with a brief top pause and controlled lowering.
General training baseline. Need.fit automatically adjusts exact sets, reps, and working weight based on your individual fitness level, recovery, and progress over time.
Exercise Variations & Alternatives
barbell shrug
dumbbell shrug
rack pull
trap-bar-shrug
Barbell Bench Press
Learn proper barbell bench press form, muscles worked, grip and bar-path cues, common mistakes, and practical sets and reps for strength or muscle.
Dumbbell Bench Press
Learn dumbbell bench press form, muscles worked, setup, range-of-motion cues, common mistakes, and practical sets and reps for controlled chest training.
Behind-the-Back vs Standard Barbell Shrug
Both use scapular elevation. The main difference is whether the bar sits behind or in front of the thighs, which changes clearance and arm position more than the fundamental muscle action.
Does Bar Position Change Which Traps Work?
Direct comparative evidence is limited. Do not assume the behind-body position uniquely targets the middle traps or a separate 'rear trap' region.
How Do You Keep the Bar From Hitting Your Glutes?
Use a grip and stance that give the bar reasonable clearance and keep the torso tall or only slightly adjusted. Do not turn the exercise into a deep forward bend.
Should You Roll Your Shoulders?
No.
- As with standard shrugs, controlled vertical elevation is the useful movement.
- Circular rolling is unnecessary.
Behind-the-Back Barbell vs Smith-Machine Shrug
A Smith machine fixes the bar path and may simplify clearance. This page remains the free-barbell version, while machine variations should be treated separately.
Sources & References
- [1]
- [2]Surface electromyographic analysis of exercises for the trapezius muscle — PubMed (PMID 12774999)View Source
- [3]American College of Sports Medicine Position Stand. Resistance Training Prescription for Muscle Function, Hypertrophy, and Physical Performance in Healthy Adults: An Overview of Reviews — PubMed (PMID 41843416)View Source